Syrian activists say fierce fighting has broken out in a Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus where rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad have been trying to push out fighters who support the government.

The clashes Tuesday at the Yarmouk camp come two days after activists reported Syrian warplanes bombing the camp and killing eight people.

Meanwhile, U.S. television network NBC said Tuesday that its chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel and his crew are safe after being abducted and held inside Syria.

NBC said in a statement that Engel and his team were taken by an unknown group after crossing into northwest Syria from Turkey on Thursday. It said they were freed Monday after a firefight, and crossed back into Turkey on Tuesday unharmed.

NBC said the captors were not believed to be loyal to President Assad and that there was no contact or ransom demand while the team was being held.